Pz. Div. "H.G." Soldbuch & Album, Photo & Award Document

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I recently acquired the Soldbuch of Leutnant Helmut Diening, which includes his pre-war photo album from Schützen-Regiment 2 containing 94 photos, a super colorized portrait photo wearing his "Hermann Göring" Panzer wraparound tunic, and his 6 July 1945-issued Black Wound Badge award document. Diening served in the military from 1935. From 1939-1945, he served with Schützen-Regiment 2, Schützen Regiment 304, the 2.(Panzerspäh) Kompanie, and the 2. Kradschützen-Kompanie of Panzer Division "Hermann Göring," and Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 9 of the 9. Panzer Division.
The pre-war album contains mostly photos from his training period with Schützen-Regiment 2 in Meiningen, with which he served as an Oberfeldwebel (First Sergeant, or Spiess). In June 1943, Diening was assigned to the 2. Kompanie of Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung of Panzer Division "Hermann Göring," which was formed in May 1943 in Santa Maria, Italy. On 10 September 1943, Diening was assigned to the 2. Kradschützen-Kompanie of Panzer Division "Hermann Göring," and less than two weeks later, he suffered a knee injury. He was then transferred to the Luftwaffen-Lazarett in Amsterdam. During his service with Panzer Division "Hermann Göring," he saw heavy fighting in Sicily and Italy.
Sometime during his service with Panzer Division "Hermann Göring," he had a portrait photo taken of himself wearing his "Hermann Göring" Panzer wraparound tunic and all the awards he obtained up until September 1943, including the Austrian Annexation Medal, the Czech Annexation Medal with Clasp, Iron Cross 2nd Class, Shooting Lanyard [for Machine Gunners], and the Eastern Front Medal. Interestingly, Diening paid the photo studio a little extra to have the photo colorized.
On 9 January 1944, page 15 shows that he was assigned to the Stammkompanie (Cadre Company) of Schützen Regiment 2 at which time an "older" photo of him was attached to the inside cover of the Soldbuch. Interestingly, it shows him wearing his black "Hermann Göring" wraparound tunic; interestingly, after the war, he cut off the lower portion of the photo. In my opinion, he used his Soldbuch as a post-war identification, and did not want any authorities, including bank tellers, to see that he was wearing a "black uniform with Totenkopf (Death's Head) collar tabs" so that they would not confuse him as being a member of the SS.
After recuperting from his injury, Diening attended the Schule für Fahnenjunker der Panzertruppe (Officer Candidate School for Panzer Troops), and was commissioned as a Leutnant on 20 October 1944 with seniority from 1 September 1944. He was subsequently assigned to Panzer-Aufklärungs-und-Ersatz-Ausbildungs-Abteilung 7 in München. Although his last field unit is not listed in the Soldbuch, through his Wound Badge in Black award document issued on 6 July 1945, his last unit is revealed as being Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 9 of the 9. Panzer Division.
Diening most likely joined the 9. Panzer Division around 28 November 1944 (see the clothing and equipment page that shows he was issued gear in the field). During his service with the 9. Panzer Division, he would have fought in the Ardennes Offensive, fighting from 25 December 1944 to 4 January 1945 in Rochefort and Houffalize. After retreating behind the West Wall, Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 9 was deployed in Brünn and in the Eifel, as well as north of this region. On 2 March 1945, Diening was wounded and transferred to Standortlazarett Wuppertal, a military hospital located in Wuppertal, Germany. As a point of interest, by 7 March 1945, the Abteilung was decimated in the area of Köln-Nord - Worringen. Diening's wound allowed him to survive the war.

Barry

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